Wrench.



I 1,181,349. Patented May 2,1916.

w. c. O BRYIAN & A. L. HAYS.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1.7 1915.

- SA ES ATN FTE WILLIAM C. OBRYAN AND ASA L. HAYS, 0F TPADUCAH, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS' T0 SURE GRIP FIRE HYDRANT WRENCH COMPANY, OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY, A. COR- PORATION OF KENTUCKY.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM G. OBRYAN and ASA L. Hays, citizens of the United States, residing at Paducah, in the county of McCracken, State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in renches, and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wrench particularly adapted for use in connection with fire hydrants or plugs.

Another object is to provide a wrench which is capable of use on objects having faces such as nuts and also on round objects, such as pipes and bars, the device being eflicient on either of these types.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrench made in accordance with our invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a trans verse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying dr: wing, 10 represents a hollow openended tubular member on one end of which is formed an enlargement 13 through which is formed an elongated opening 12. The outer portion of this opening has the angularly meeting walls while the inner portion is rectangular. Disposed in the rectangular portion of the opening is a block 13, the outer end of which is toothed as at 14:. Secured to the inner end of the block is a stem 15 which is disposed slidably in the tubular member 10. On one side of the tubular member there is formed a pair of parallel and apertured ears 16, and between these cars there is pivoted one end of a handle lever shank 17 The pivotal portion of the lever is formed with a projection 18 which extends into the tubular member 10 and engages in a longitudinal slot 19 formed in the stem 15. Thus, when the handle lever shank is moved so as to withdraw the block opening 12. The angular or round object to be gripped by the wrench is engaged through the opening 12 and then by grasping the lever and moving the same in the direction of the tubular member 10, the projection of the lever will move the stem so that the block will be forced into firm biting engagement with the object.

To adapt the wrench for different sized objects there is provided a plurality of re movable dies 20 which are seated within the outer portion of the opening 12, and held by the screw 21.

This device is particularly adapted for operation on the nut of a fire hydrant.

It often happens that the nut of the lire hydrant, which is usually pentagonal or hexagonal becomes worn so that the ordinary wrench will not fit but will slide around without turning the nut. With the present device, the nut can be effectively gripped so that it will turn even though it has been worn practically round.

Attention is also called to the fact that the wrench can be used to turn nuts of different sizes, without the necessity of carrying a plurality of rigid jaw wrenches or a sm-.

gle wrench with a plurality of openings for the different sized nuts. Furthermore, this wrench will operate on round, as well as angular work.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising a head having an opening formed therethrough for the reception of objects to be acted on and an angular recess communicating with the opening at the rear of the head, a tubular member forming a part of the rear of the head, and alin ing with the said recess, a cylindrical stem slidable in the tubular portion and having a block on its inner end movable in the recess for projection into the opening of the head, said block having angular faces for engagement with the corresponding faces of said recess, said stem having a slot formed therethrough, and a lever shank pivotally mounted on one side of the tubular member and formed with a projection extending into the slot of the stem and beyond the central portion of the latter for moving the block longitudinally in the recess.

2. A wrench comprising a head having an opening formed therethrough for the reception of removable dies and an angular re- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the With a slot, and a lever shank pivoted to said tubular portion and having a projection extending into said slot.

In testimony whereof We aflix our sigma 1 tures, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

WVILLIAM G. OBRYAN. ASA L. HAYS.

WVitnesses:

EDGAR W. WHITTEMORE, GEO. L. HILL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

